Qimin Liu

Born in Helongjing Province, Qimin Liu received a Teaching Certificate from Haerbin Normal University (1985), Bachelor of Fine Arts from Institute of Chinese Traditional Drama (1991), Master of Arts from Iowa State University (1997), and Master of Fine Arts from Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (1999). In his graduate school years, he was most influenced by such established painters as Sidney Goodman, Vincent Desiderio, Jules Kirschenbaum and Bruce E. Smith. Post graduation, he continued advancing his teaching and creative ability by attending the workshop provided by master painter Nelson Shanks (2004) and as an Artist in Residency at the studio of master painter Odd Nerdrum in Rodvik Gaard, Norway (2005).

Liu served as an Adjunct Professor at Philadelphia University, and taught at Fleisher Art Memorial of the Philadelphia Museum of Fine Art and the University City Art League in Philadelphia (1999-2000). He started teaching Painting and Drawing in the Visual Arts Department of Eastern Connecticut State University in the fall of 2000.

Since 1997, Liu has been working on a project depicting the homeless people in America’s inner cities. His subjects are homeless individuals who struggle with mental and physical disabilities, and substance abuse. Over the years, Liu’s efforts to capture the diversity and vitality of poor neighborhoods and to continuously use his figurative paintings to discourse meaningful contemporary art issues has won him accolades from over 50 newspapers and magazines, including New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Hartford Currant and Des Moines Register.

Liu earned an enviable record of accomplishments and presented in more than 50 exhibits across the United States. His exhibits include Connecticut Contemporary at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, a two-person show titled the Art of Being Human: Gladys Barker Grauer & Qimin Liu, at Myhelan Culture Arts Center, NJ, and 10 Contemporary Artists 5×2, at Allentown Art Museum, Pennsylvania. He has won more than two dozen awards, honors and grants, including Top Winner of 62nd Annual Connecticut Artist’ Exhibits at the Slater Memorial Museum Gallery, Special Juror’s Award, Selected by Sidney Goodman at National Contemporary Realism III, the Asian Artist Fellowship from the Freeman Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, and the Artist Fellowship from the Independent Foundation, Philadelphia. Numerous of his works have been collected by institutions and private collectors over the last decade.